Well, no, but then again you get books in lots of different “aspect ratios”

I’m with mogrim – from your photos that Sony clamblet would struggle to fit two columns of your illuminated Ars Technica there – assuming it even has a suitable resolution to provide readable text at that size.

that Sony clamblet would struggle to fit two columns of your illuminated Ars Technica there

No need to be rude now is there!

*goes back to reading the internet on his crappy 2.5″ phone screen circa 2005*

Well, no, but then again you get books in lots of different “aspect ratios”. You wouldn’t want to read a coffee table style Encyclopaedia Britannica on it, but would be fine for books and newspapers

Not convinced, it’s a very narrow screen – be OK for a newspaper column, I suppose – but you wouldn’t be able to see the photo at the top without playing around with pinching / scroll.

If it had a proper(ish) keyboard and just the one screen, however…

Charlie, only selling as I’m not traveling with work as much as planned and I can use the macbook and desire for everything at home.

lol, I wish I’d posted a picture of the other one now!

For mogrim though, how about this one:

lol @thebunk – that’s still not a proper keyboard, though!

I’m writing this on the Vega i bought at Heathrow last week for £207 🙂

Out of the box it’s pretty limited, as has been mentioned, but a few minutes and the ROM is now running Modaco, and it’s great! Faster than my Samsung NC10 netbook for a lot of things, although typing isn’t necessarily one of them 😉

Screen isn’t amazing, but for a fairly cheep and cheerful device I’m pretty impressed.

Cheers, Rich

You can get styli that work on iPhone and iPad screens, along with apps that have handwriting capability. As far as the consumption/creativity argument goes, there is GarageBand for the iPad now, along with the full Korg synth, and an exact replica of a whizzy sequencer much loved by hiphop and early dance types. There are full midi connectors for the iPad, also mic inputs. There are also brushes available to use with paint and drawing apps. The thing with the iPhone, and much more with the iPad, is that it’s a ‘blank slate’, there for people to create ways of using the damned thing.
Much as I’d like one, it’s going to have to wait for ages until I replace my ageing seven year old laptop. Maybe next year.
Or the year after.

Does it do telly though?

Flashy content-free video of the Sony S1 tablet and S2 clamblet in action:
[video]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_9DZdXHzXwk[/video]

I’m not blown away.